AUTHOR=Noe Christian R. , Noe-Letschnig Marion , Handschuh Patricia , Noe Chiara Anna , Lanzenberger Rupert TITLE=Dysfunction of the Blood-Brain Barrier—A Key Step in Neurodegeneration and Dementia JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2020 YEAR=2020 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2020.00185 DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2020.00185 ISSN=1663-4365 ABSTRACT=
The vascular endothelium in the brain is an essential part of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) because of its very tight structure to secure a functional and molecular separation of the brain from the rest of the body and to protect neurons from pathogens and toxins. Impaired transport of metabolites across the BBB due to its increasing dysfunction affects brain health and cognitive functioning, thus providing a starting point of neurodegenerative diseases. The term “cerebral metabolic syndrome” is proposed to highlight the importance of lifestyle factors in neurodegeneration and to describe the impact of increasing BBB dysfunction on neurodegeneration and dementia, especially in elderly patients. If untreated, the cerebral metabolic syndrome may evolve into dementia. Due to the high energy demand of the brain, impaired glucose transport across the BBB